Quod Subsisto Tractus

12/02/2016

by Trensk Mikakka

He shifted in his seat, getting used to a tight, armored flight suit he probably hadn't worn in...easily 6 years.

"Docking Command, this is Firebrand, requesting undock and guidance to safe maneuvering distance." A near-growl into the throat mic was all it took."Rodger, Firebrand,
unclasp, forward at niner-zero M.S., heading one-three-one by
zero-zero-zero, upper tier undock. Clear forcefields at twelve-twelve
time, then accel to one-three-hundred M.S. for one k until clear.""Aye,
command, unclasp, forward at niner-zero, one-three-one by
zero-zero-zero, upper tier, clear at twelve-twelve, accel one-three
hundred for one k 'till clear."

"Quod subsisto tractus, Firebrand"

A normal call between fighter pilots. And stay the course, how fitting. Command was a veteran.

"Quod subsisto tractus, Command. Firebrand Out."

The figure in the co-pilot's seat in front of Trensk turned their head, a shock of red hair flowing from under their helmet. "Firebrand?! Really, Trensk?"

Trensk
laughed, hitting the button on the display above him to unclasp their
Mantis from their moorings. "I didn't choose the name, Lizza, you can
blame Lit for selling me the thing. I suspect it's her fault. She knew
you'd fly it."

There was a general grumbling of swear words in
front of him as Trensk pulled the Mantis to the correct bearing and
speed, as natural as if it was his own body. He checked thruster
readings, electric generator amperage, voltage, and wattage, HVAC
systems, and nervously, the weapons locks.

Exactly 12 minutes to
their unclasping, they exited the force fields of the undock, their
Mantis soaring into the cold depths of space outside Indigo City
Station. Trensk double checked the weapons locks, then let his hands
dance across his control console, transferring control to the co-pilot's
seat, while maintaining an emergency override on his station.

"Alright,
Lizza, you heard him, accelerate to thirteen-hundred meters a second
and hold for a kilometer, then you're free to go."

She nodded
(which he explicitly told her not to do in the fibo), and gently pushed
the throttle, pushing the mantis to 100 m/s under it's max speed and
holding, flying for exactly one kilometer at that speed.

Immediately,
she pulled into a steep climb, going vertical to the solar plane as she
pushed the Mantis right into it's max speed, the acceleration and g's
pushing them back into their speeds. Trensk reacted naturally, his legs
tensing and untensing to control blood flow while he settled into his
seat, amused by the scene in front of him.

She seemed to shake in
her seat, most likely from the sheer adrenaline and nervousness you
felt at the helm of a fighter-bomber. Elizabeth dragged the fighter into
tight maneuvers, tracing a looping, Immelmann-ing, barrel-rolling arc
around Indigo City, the massive form of the planet dwarfing all.

She
kept at this for a few hours, almost never seeming to tire of it. She
was sure like her mother, never seemed to tire of things she found she
loved. Soon enough, however, Elizabeth slowed the Fibo, gliding low over
the glittering metal skin of the station.

"Well, pull
five kilometers out, and aim the ship away from the sun." Elizabeth
paused, but ended up shrugging and pulling away from the station.

Five
kilometers out, and aimed towards the inky blackness of the outer solar
system, she slowed the Mantis to a halt, floating in the void. Trensk
finally undid the locks, double-checking the craft's payload and the
programming of the weapons.

"Alright, Lizza, fire."

Immediately
the payload was released, bombs and missiles flying out into the void.
One hundred, two hundred, five hundred meters, then they exploded, a
colorful fire of blue and red arcing across their view port, bathing the
interior of the cockpit in beautiful, shimmering light. Trensk could
almost feel Elizabeth smiling as the girl in front of him settled back
into her seat.